Everything Is Not What It Seems
by iBayfully
Summary: As Elsa's coronation nears, she can't help but feel worried and scared about the events that will follow. Soon, she will learn that she has every right to be anxious - the dignitaries have come to attend the inauguration, and not all of them mean well. She knows, however, that a certain ice harvester will always be there to care about her. AU Kristelsa, no powers, no isolation.
1. A New Friendship

**(A/N: Even with school badgering me down, I have decided to start another multi-chapter story. It will, once again, be a Kristelsa story. :D I'm really excited for this one, and I hope you guys are too.)**

**Edit: Forgot to mention that this is an AU! Thank you to Celestia's Paladin for reviewing and reminding me. **

**This is an AU – Elsa has no powers, she and Anna were never isolated, Elsa and Kristoff and Anna have been friends since childhood, and Olaf is…a pale white guy. :D**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Frozen or anything affiliated with it. I only own my OC's. (Also, I don't own Selena Gomez or her song.)

Chapter 1: A New Friendship

_It was a crisp, winter morning in the kingdom of Arendelle._

_People were beginning to start their days, going about and greeting their neighbors. A friendly "hello" or "good morning" sufficed – both sayings were passed around on a typical morning like the one currently happening. _

_Overlooking the village was a grand castle, home to the most loved royal family Arendelle ever had. There was the king, of course. A handsome king he was, often times spotted with his arm extended to accompany another arm – the queen's arm. _

_A lovely brunette, she was of a fine figure, walking ever so gracefully next to the man she loved. _

_They had two children._

_To be precise, they had two daughters – two beautiful daughters. _

_Elsa was the older of the pair – with long, platinum blonde hair held together by a braid and headband, often times wearing a navy blue dress coat, she was already quite beautiful for her age._

_The younger princess, Anna, was incredibly different. Sporting strawberry blonde locks, Anna was often found in dirty, mud-splattered dresses and imperfect pigtail braids. While Elsa aimed to be a more collected royal, Anna acted as though she wanted, if anything, to be the exact opposite. _

_Elsa was known for her etiquette, which was impressive at such a young age. Anna…was not._

_The younger girl was instead noted for her tendency to ask too many questions, or get herself too messy for the castle halls, or even to stick her tongue out at others whenever she pleased._

_However, Anna had an incredible amount of determination. With a fire constantly burning in her eyes, she was always ready to take something on – a challenge, perhaps; or maybe an unheard danger. Although it could sometimes be terrifying and nightmare ensuing, Anna was willing to give anything a shot. _

…_This led to her jumping out of a tree on the same jolly, winter morning – a broken limb ensued._

_Elsa spent the next couple hours at Anna's bedside, talking, laying in bed together, doing all things sisterly…but in the end, Anna wanted to rest._

"_Go and play!" She spoke dramatically. "Go be free, Elsa! Go and smell the ros – mmmhmmm…"_

_She was snoring before the platinum blonde girl was out the door._

_So, nine-year old Elsa went out in the courtyard alone. _

_It wasn't the first time she was out alone._

_She went outside with Anna to play and have fun – but she liked being alone as well. It was a nice time to pace and think about, well, life – the past, the future, her lessons, her friends…_

_This day would be a little different, however._

_Elsa was crouching down, smelling the flowers nearby the big fence when she heard a small voice nearby: "Quiet, Sven!"_

_Elsa, now curious, moved towards the noise, which was coming from behind the wall. She was ready to call out a "Who's there?" when a hand slipped over. _

_The words died in her throat, and Elsa scrambled back to hide behind a bush._

_Slowly, a blonde-haired boy pulled himself over the barrier. Grinning triumphantly, he glanced back down. "Grab my hand, Sven – hmph!" _

_The young boy, surprisingly strong, was able to pull a small reindeer over the edge with him. Smiling jubilantly at the reindeer, he chuckled. "We made it."_

_Hopping down, they walked slowly around, admiring the palace garden. The boy whistled._

"_It's huge!" he exclaimed. "And, it's empty."_

"_N-no, it's not."_

_The boy whirled around to see Elsa walking towards them cautiously. "Uh oh."_

_He raised his hands up immediately, a look of guilt crossing over his face. "I…I don't mean any harm!" He said quickly. "Gesturing to his reindeer, he threw a smile onto his face. "This is Sven," he went on. "He's my best friend ever – reindeer's are better than people, I like to say." _

_Elsa felt a smile tug at her lips, and she listened to him ramble on. "And I'm Kristoff!" he said, pointing to himself proudly. _

_Elsa smiled widely now, and she moved closer to the blonde-haired boy. "Aren't your parents worried about you?"_

_At this, Kristoff's smile fell. "I…well, I don't really have parents anymore. I did, a long time ago, but…"_

"_Oh," the princess said slowly. "O-oh, I'm sorry, Kristoff…"_

_However, the smile reappeared on the boy's face faster than Elsa expected. "That's okay! I mean, I've got friends like Sven, and…Sven…"_

_Elsa giggled and moved closer till the two were close together. "I can be your friend," she offered, smiling, and Kristoff beamed even more. _

"_I think Sven and I would like that," he stated happily, extending his hand for the other to shake. _

"_I'm Elsa," the princess told him, taking his hand in hers. They shook, and Kristoff didn't let go. _

_A slight blush passed over the girl's face, even though Kristoff seemed completely unnoticing. "Show me around! Please?" he asked her. _

_Elsa was surprised for a few moments – after all, she had just met the boy. And yet, he seemed so friendly, so happy, and so approachable. He seems like a wonderful friend to have, Elsa decided._

_Kristoff proved to be just that – and many, many years later, Kristoff proved to be more than just a wonderful friend._

**Twelve years later**

The deaths of the king and the queen were devastating. Arendelle was still grieving, and they were without a ruler to lead them.

That would be changed in a week.

Dignitaries throughout the land have been called, invited to attend the coronation of Princess – no, _Queen _Elsa of Arendelle.

The princess's were not given enough time to grieve – in a week, everything was happening. In a week, everything was going to change.

The abrupt stress killed Elsa – world had barely gotten out of the ship, of the tragedy in the sea, taking the king and queen away from the world, and already she had so many things to do.

Anna was a huge help – they talked together, cried together, slept in the comfort of each other – but Kristoff was also there to help.

He held Elsa many times, and he let her cry into the fabric of his shirt, uttering smooth, comforting words. "It's going to be okay…it's going to be alright."

And while Elsa, deep down, knew that it wouldn't be okay without her loving parents, she knew that, listening to Kristoff's deep voice every night, she could imagine it _would_ end up alright. The comfort of friends was what she needed at this time of her life, and Kristoff was there and ready for her.

Even when the disaster had faded into the past, even when the coronation was weeks, months, years prior, he would still be there and ready, perhaps balancing two glasses of juice in one hand and his lute in the other, ready to do whatever he could to comfort the queen.

His support was needed, and very desperately at this time – Elsa's life was about to change.

**This was a little bit of an intro/flashback chapter – hopefully you can expect the real deal in the following chapters.**


	2. Feelings

**(A/N: I might end up changing the rating to M, due to excessive swearing later on – although, you get a dose of it in this chapter. But, it's not like there are any lemons either…I don't know. We'll see.)**

**Thanks to Celestia's Paladin, cgr100, and Guest for reviewing. Also, thanks to those who followed and left a favorite. You guys are all awesome. **

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Frozen or anything affiliated with it. The only things I own are my OC's.

Chapter 2: Feelings

A week.

At first, it didn't seem all that awful. There was still time to prepare; there was still time to practice.

As the week became six days, then five days, then four, Elsa noticed how much time she'd put into grieving and crying.

When it became three days, she was extremely worried.

Sitting at her new study, she looked over the schedule for the big day, but often times it ended in her holding her face in her hands.

Today was no different – once again, she had tried to concentrate; she had desperately tried to accustom herself to her new life.

It wasn't working.

"I know it's hard, Elsie," Anna said quietly one day. "But you can't give up! Arendelle is looking up to you as their new queen! They need you, we all need you…please."

Elsa shook her head. "I'm trying, Anna," was the reply. "But this is not easy – I'm just so…so worried about the future and – "

"Shhh." Anna began to rub her sister's shoulders slowly. "Just relax, and take a deep breath."

The queen, unable to think of a better alternative, did so. Anna smiled slightly. "By the way," she said, "I think there's something I can do to cheer you up."

Elsa chuckled, shaking her head once more. "What on Earth can cheer me up at a time like – "

"It's not so much of a 'what' as it is a 'who'," Anna interrupted, and Elsa turned around cautiously.

"What…?"

Leaning against the doorframe was a certain ice harvester – it took Elsa everything to keep her flush from crawling up her neck.

"K-Kristoff!" She stood up, and immediately ran over to him, knocking him down as she embraced him in a tight hug. "I haven't seen you in forever…"

"Hey you," he spoke softly, chuckling. "How're you holding up?"

The younger princess coughed awkwardly behind them. "Are you two…still in need of my assistance?"

No response.

Anna sighed. "Of course not."

As the footsteps of the girl grew faint, Elsa pulled away with a smile on her face. "I'm stressed, everyone's stressed…it's the usual."

The man frowned. "I'm sorry I couldn't be here when it all happened – as much as I love all of those beautiful ice blocks, they take up a hell of a lot of time out of your day. Still," he shrugged, gesturing to himself, "I'm here now."

Elsa smiled. "Good. Because I need something – or someone – to lean on and cry into." Kristoff returned the facial gesture, eyes a little sadder than Elsa liked. Extending his arms welcomingly, he let Elsa fall into place.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

There was something about Kristoff that made Elsa so…giddy, which was incredibly unlike her. Until it started a few years ago, Elsa had looked up to Kristoff as a brother more than anything in the world. Kristoff would know whenever Elsa was feeling down, and vice versa – they knew each other very well, and they'd always be there for one another.

It was until Elsa had fallen down and broken her ankle one day, that she began to see Kristoff as more than just a friend.

She and Anna had been skating – skating, for Christ's sake – when she had slammed her foot against the dumbest goddamn pillar in the world.

…Seriously, the pillar was smack dab in the middle of the square.

Elsa had been trying out a new maneuver – a sophisticated twirl that scared the shit out of Anna – and had been rewarded with a loud _snap _and an unbearable pain.

Kristoff, having been in the area, had picked her up swiftly and brought her into the castle, despite every protest she made. He had set her down carefully onto her bed, assuring her everything would be all right.

The ice harvester proceeded to set up camp inside her bedroom, and had refused to leave even when Elsa asked him to.

"_You're going to get hurt," he told her firmly one night when she wanted to get up. "No."_

_ "Kristoff, ugh!" Elsa groaned. "I'll be fine, I just need to – ow, fuck!"_

_ The man managed to smirk silently while grimacing at the same time. "I told you," he deadpanned, jogging over to her side. "And watch your tongue, young lady!" _

_ "It's not like you swear every damn day," Elsa grumbled, but she still smiled as she saw one tug at Kristoff's lips. _

"_What bullshit are you talking about?" He asked innocently, and Elsa chuckled. "If you're not going release me, then get a glass of water for your royal princess." She folded her arms, smiling. Then… "Please? Come on, I said please."_

_ Kristoff laughed, leaning down to kiss her cheek as he ruffled her hair affectionately. "At once, your highness." And he was out the door, unbeknownst to him that the blonde girl was blushing madly. _

_ When the ice harvester returned with not only a glass of water but with a plate of cookies, Elsa was still slightly red, unable to control her emotions. _

_ Kristoff thought it was due to Elsa not feeling well, and had her sleep early. _

_ "I don't get a bedtime story?" Elsa asked, pouting as Kristoff threw the covers over her slim figure. He chuckled at her humor, and, of course – he just had to kiss her again. "Hopefully that can substitute," he replied. "Goodnight, Elsie."_

_ It did._

The feelings grew stronger and stronger. Elsa, while incredibly attracted to her friend, would not dare tell anyone about her affection towards him.

At least, she wouldn't yet.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"So," the ice harvester started, looking over the shoulder of his friend, "You walk down the aisle, get a crown put on your head, and voila – you're the queen?" He shrugged playfully. "That doesn't seem too bad."

"You're not helping, you ass," was Elsa's response. "It's just…it's everything that ensues, everything…that I have to do as queen – that's the part that scares me."

Abandoning his joking manner from seconds ago, Kristoff reached out and held her slightly. "Don't worry, Elsa – I'm sure you'll be an astounding ruler, just as good as your mother and father – I mean it." Smiling, he continued. "You're kind, you're sweet, and you're fucking amazing. You've got this."

Elsa was unaware of the blush creeping onto her face, like it always rudely did whenever she was around Kristoff. She managed to smile back. _One moment he's teasing me, the next moment he's the sweetest fucking – _

"T-thank you," she sputtered. "I – really – it's good to have you in my life. Here, I mean. Um, yes."

He laughed at her stuttering. "Don't get nervous yet," he replied with a smirk. "I'm sure there'll be other times for that."


	3. The Big Day

**(A/N: My life just got incredibly busy, so the weekends will probably be the only time I will post anything. Or…you know, I could just fail to resist the urge of flipping my laptop open in the middle of a school-night…that works.**

**Thanks to The Legend of Rune Factory for reviewing – welcome to the club! Thanks for reviewing and leaving a favorite as well, you guys – you're all awesome.)**

**Disclaimer: **Aside from my OC's, who you will meet in roughly two seconds, I do not own anything Frozen related.

Chapter 3: The Big Day

"So, Kristoff – are you and Princess Elsa getting it on?"

"Shut the hell up, Cody."

The opposing man chuckled to himself, shoving his hands into his pockets as the group of friends walked through Arendelle. "It's terribly obvious, Blondie – that question was terribly rhetorical, I now don't know why I asked it."

Kristoff grumbled. "I said, shut the fuck up."

Another man stepped in. "Come on, Kristoff!" Sindre, his name was. "When are you going to ask her out?"

Kristoff sighed. "I'm not…going to ask her out."

"Well," the third man – Alf – spoke up, "she's made you the closest to a royal as she possibly could…I mean, the _Official _Ice Master and Deliverer! We're all so jealous. And," he added, wagging his eyebrow at Kristoff, "her coronation is today."

The final man – a pale bloke named Olaf – opened his mouth to speak. "We know that you're planning on sneaking in to watch her."

No response from the blonde man.

The other man clapped each other on the back, laughing. "We're always right," Alf said with a smirk. "And hey! It's all good, Kristoff – this is the queen of Arendelle we're talking about. The beautiful, fair, queen of the land; perhaps interested in quite the handsome ice harvester, oh my –"

Kristoff shook his head, doubting. "I don't think she likes me like that."

Cody's eyes twinkled mischievously. "You don't know that," he teased.

The group turned a corner, and the chapel in which the event took place was before them.

"Ah," Sindre said, "the one and only place where Princess Elsa is to become queen." He smirked. "By the way, Blondie…didn't you say you were going to talk to her before it all – "

Kristoff, remembering the promise he made with Elsa, widened his eyes. "Oh, _shit –"_

He was off and running in the direction of the castle, leaving his friends in a trail of dust. They were laughing, however.

"How cute."

Like himself, all of Kristoff's friends were ice harvesters. They had agreed to go on a long trip together quite some time ago, and they become close then.

Sindre was the oldest – he was 23 years old. Long, shaggy brown hair was atop his head, stopping just above his eyebrows. Although he's well known for his ostentatious manner, he will always be there for you. Just know that he will also fuck with you whenever possible.

Alf came in second, at 22. Also a brunette, this man was, unless you knew him well, a pain in the ass. There's a theme going on here – he liked to fuck with people as well.

Olaf, 21, was "paler than the whitest day of winter," as quoted by Sindre. It was safe to say Olaf was the nicest of the men – if someone a mile away were to trip and fall, he would be the first to help.

The youngest of them all was a 19 year old named Cody. With jet-black hair and a slightly badgering attitude, he was a "charming bastard," as stated by the blonde harvester, and was even dubbed the "cute one" of the group by a teasing Alf.

It was true, though, for girls all over Arendelle fell for him faster than a melting snow cone in hell.

A fantastic example would be Isabel, the newest addition to his list of girlfriends. Adding the words "it's a long list" tells you quite a bit about him.

Ever since the group learned of Kristoff's affectionate feelings toward the queen-to-be, he had become the laughing stock of them all; due especially to Kristoff's resistant nature.

Through all of this, though, they respected him for being so high up in the hierarchy of ice harvesters, if you wanted to call it that.

Although irritable and a fucking pain at times, they were the best group of friends. Kristoff would acknowledge that even more as time passed by.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"Oh, Elsa…"

The queen stood in her dress and cape, fidgeting with her gloves as her younger sister stared, mouth agape.

"You look – you look beautiful!"

Elsa had on a teal dress with a bronze lacing traveling throughout – a long, magenta cape flowed behind her, and on her lips was freshly applied lipstick – also magenta. Her pink and gray eye shadow was stunning, and her complexion was topped off with a slightly pink blush – Anna did not lie.

The older princess smiled widely. "Thank you," she replied.

But her smile faltered. "Kristoff said he'd be here…"

As if on cue, the door swung open, and in barraged a panting ice harvester.

"Hey, hey! Sorry I'm la – oh, _shit."_

The man halted immediately and stared directly at the young woman in front of him.

Anna certainly did not lie.

A flush crept up Elsa's neck. "Did I…do something wrong?"

He shook his head no. "N-no, no, not at all. Nothing wrong. At all. Nope."

Anna, smirking, stole one more glance at her sister before sending a wink towards Kristoff. "I'll be waiting outside," she said in a singsong voice, and closed the door behind her, leaving the two in an awkward silence.

"Elsa," Kristoff breathed slowly, "you…you look beautiful."

Elsa's face grew redder by the second, and she took a second to gulp in well-needed air. "T-thank you," she murmured at last, a small smile tugging at her lips.

Silence. Then…

"Elsa – you're redder than ever."

"Huh? Oh." The princess shrugged. "I…well, if a h-handsome ice harvester told you that you looked beautiful, I'd think your reaction would be the same – "

A smirk graced the man's features. "What was that, now?"

"Huh? What…?"

However, Elsa knew exactly what, and in her mind she screamed _'You fucking dumbass' _to herself angrily.

But Kristoff's sudden kiss on the cheek wiped her mind completely. Winking, he added, "I think I'm handsome too – we're on the same page, don't worry."

"What – you fucker." Elsa slapped him on the chest, and he recoiled in a mock pain. "Ouch, Elsa!" He held his chest. "And language, please! I want our new queen to be as pure as possible – the word 'fuck' shall not be emitted from the lips of her majesty the queen – "

"Fuck off." She was smirking now, and Kristoff chuckled, finally tossing his playful attitude aside. "Nervous?"

"My coronation is in minutes and the whole world is here to see it – I'm not worried in the least bit," she deadpanned.

The man rolled his eyes. "Well, you'll be fine no matter what, I'm sure. I'll throw on my harvester medal, or whatever – they better let me in; that way I'll be able to sneak in and make faces at you."

Elsa snorted, but she was grateful. "I'll make sure they get you in…and thank you," she muttered, and Kristoff responded with a warm hug, unaware of the growing blush on Elsa's cheeks once more.

"Your majesty," Kai, a servant of the castle, called from the other side of the door. "We're ready for you – just give us the word."

Elsa's hands began to shake, and without thinking, she grabbed Kristoff and held him closely again. "It'll be fine," he whispered in assurance once more, rubbing her back soothingly. "I'll do whatever I can to make it seem less nerve-wracking, and I'll _try _not to make a fool out of myself." He smirked and let the princess pull away. Giving her the thumbs up symbol, he began to head for the door. "Good luck, Elsie."

**XXXXXXXXXX**

The harmonious choir emanated glorious music, which had taken a liking to bouncing off the walls. The acoustics in the small chapel were of high quality, and nearly everyone present was serenated by the beautiful tone.

Elsa, on the other hand, decided not to give a shit, for her hands and arms were shaking with apprehension.

Bowing down to the bishop, she felt his hands, old but firm, place the small crown atop her head.

The vocalists had ceased, and an uneasy silence filled the room.

Elsa took a deep breath. _It's time._

Removing her gloves with quivering hands, she reached down tentatively and took the orb in one hand and the scepter in the other.

Turning back to face her spectators, she heard the shuffling of their feet and saw the rise of each and every body in the room. She glanced over to Anna, who stood next to her, offering a small smile and an encouraging nod.

Everyone stayed silent, and the bishop took a deep breath.

"Sem hon heldr inum helgum eignum ok krýnd…"

Elsa swallowed nervously as the bishop uttered the chant in Old Norse. Anna was still giving her the most encouraging look she could manage, and the dignitaries were smiling brightly.

But Elsa was still slightly terrified.

Here she was, standing tall as she represented her kingdom, and she literally wanted to wet herself.

However, a familiar face caught her eye, and she gazed over to the direction of said face. A certain ice harvester gave her a half-smile, winking as he did so.

It gave Elsa all the confidence she needed.

"…í þessum helga stað ek té fram fyrir yðr…Queen Elsa, of Arendelle!"

Elsa hurriedly placed the items back onto the bishop's tray, and a small smile tugged at her lips, sound of a cheering audience registering in her ears.


	4. The Ball

**(A/N: Fuck.**

**Well, it's certainly been a while! I'm terribly sorry that it's been like what, two goddamn months? I hate to say it, but for a bit I was that author that never updates. -.- After a long hiatus, however, I have returned. :P I'm on a spring break right now, and even with all these new orchestra rehearsals I've got, I'll still be able to post a LITTLE more often. Again, I'm sorry it took ages, and I'm happy to be back. Sorry if my shit is a little rusty, I'll do my best to bring it back up. :D)**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Frozen or anything affiliated with it – it's a shame, it really is. I only own my OCs.

Chapter 4: The Ball

Kristoff stood alone in his apartment, contemplating the contents of his wardrobe with as much care as possible.

Under normal circumstances, Kristoff couldn't give two shits about what on Earth clung to his body all day, as long as it was comfortable.

This, however, was no "normal circumstance".

"Need any help, Blondie? I'm quite the expert when it comes to clothing – "

"Shut the fuck up!"

A smirking Alf entered the room. "I'm so incredibly proud of you," he said with a chuckle. "My young boy Kristoff has become such a man, get invited to the queen's ball by her Majesty _herself – "_

"I said, shut the fuck up."

Kristoff grumbled, eyeing a fly curiously as it landed on a plaid shirt hanging nearby. "I don't know about this shit – "

" – which is why I'm here."

Kristoff threw up his hands in defeat and sighed. "What've you got for me, oh master Alf?"

**Two hours earlier**

The ice harvester pulled Arendelle's new queen into his arms, chuckling as he did so. "I knew you could do it," he said with a smirk on his face, and Elsa laughed. "I – for a moment, I thought I was going to drop the scepter."

"Well, you didn't. We can all celebrate that," Kristoff smiled. "Speaking of celebration, don't you have a special little party for all of you dignitaries this evening?"

Elsa nodded. "Ah, about that…"

Her mood suddenly changed to one of shy anxiety and… _why is her face red?_

"I was wondering if you'd like to come," she said quickly, forcing a smile onto her face.

_What?_

"I know you're not really a 'royal', but…I figured, since you're Arendelle's Official Ice Master and Deliverer, I could make an exception."

Kristoff just stared at the queen. _An invitation to the ball…?_

Elsa's smile faltered. "I – well, it's okay if you don't want to go…" She chuckled humorlessly. "I ought to give it a shot, after everything you've done for me – "

"No, no!" Kristoff snapped out of his thoughts, sending a surprised look onto Elsa's face. "I mean, y-yes." The man stuttered, recollecting his thoughts. "Yes – yeah, I'll be there." He shot her a smile. "Yeah."

"Really?" Elsa broke out into a grin – a genuine one, and it warmed Kristoff's heart. "Good. So, that way, I'll have someone to dance with."

Kristoff laughed. "Being the queen of Arendelle and everything, wouldn't you already have tons of men wanting to be your partner?"

Elsa rolled her eyes. "I don't want to dance with any of them," she stated. "And besides…" She fidgeted a little. "I want to dance with you."

"Oh?" _Why is she blushing so much right now? _"Well...I'd love to." He smirked, adding, "I have to warm you though – if I'm going to be your partner, your feet will undoubtedly be bruised like never before."

She returned the facial gesture. "Oh, I'll take my chances."

**XXXXXXXXXX**

The ball was already in motion, and Arendelle's new queen stood in the center of it all. The preparations had been done wonderfully – there was enough food for all of the guests, and servants merrily pranced throughout the large mass of people, holding trays of drinks.

Elsa sighed and looked around. Already she had been greeted by dignitaries, many and many of them, and they all introduced themselves in a polite manner. So to speak, the party was going perfectly.

But it wasn't.

A certain tall, clumsy ice harvester was missing from the scene, and it bugged Elsa. Very much.

Of course, it was nice to meet all of these new people who had come all this way just to see her, but…if Kristoff wasn't here, then…what was the point?

"Oh, he'll come," she murmured to herself. "Sooner or later."

Thirty minutes flew by, and there was still no sign of the harvester. Elsa was beginning to get fidgety. She had already denied several royals of a dance in that time span, was nibbling on a piece of chocolate. _If he doesn't come, then – _

"Your majesty," an excited voice interrupted her thoughts, and she jumped to attention immediately. In front of the queen was a tall man in a shiny suit. He sported ginger hair and a joyous smile that had laughter written all over it.

"I'm Prince Aidan of the Lofoten Islands," the man spoke, bowing. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Elsa returned a quick curtsy, smiling as she did so. "Thank you for coming, Prince Aidan – I hope you're enjoying your stay."

"Oh, very much so!" His smile grew wider (_Is that possible right now?) _and he nodded enthusiastically. "I've been here for one day, and already I have come to love the love and energy these people have to offer." He laughed, and Elsa couldn't help but smile at his boyish but friendly attitude.

"How're the Lofoten Islands?" she asked him.

Aidan rolled his eyes. "Oh, trust me when I say this – they are so, so boring. I mean it, no one has as much charisma as you folk do here." The prince shook his head. "Maybe I'll move here – my life would be more fun."

The queen chuckled, and opened her mouth to respond, when she heard a loud crash. Along with several other people, she turned her head to see what was going on –

–And was more pleased than anyone in the world.

"Oh, fu – uh, sorry. Um, let me help you with that – ah, shi – "

Kristoff was down on one knee, helping a poor servant girl who he had crashed into with her spilled drinks.

Elsa, who was shaking with silent laughter, shot Aidan a sheepish smile. "Excuse me," she told him as she stifled a laugh.

Walking over to the mess, she raised an eyebrow as Kristoff got up and dusted himself off. "Shut the fuck up," he said in a hushed tone, and Elsa snickered. "This is my first time – yeah, there's a perfectly good excuse for you."

Elsa shook her head. "Where were you? I've been waiting forever for you to come."

The man smiled apologetically. "Sorry," he responded. "You can blame Cody and his affair that he dragged me into with his girl – mm, no, _ex_-girlfriend now." He waved it off. "Never mind, forget it."

Kristoff coughed uncomfortably. "So, uh…what do we do at these things again?"

Elsa laughed this time and took his hand firmly. "We dance," she said confidently.

"Sorry if I step on your feet."

"Oh, shut up."

Luckily, Kristoff only hit her toes once ("Ow, Jesus!").

Throughout their dance, they carried a small conversation that ranged from being the new queen to why reindeers are better than people ("They're not as mean, I'm serious.")

Elsa had an easier time, thanks to the dance lessons she received that Kristoff did not, but he still did a good job keeping up with the beat of the music.

As the song ended, Elsa tugged on his arm. "Let's go outside – it's nice and peaceful out there. Might help with your strange phobia of humans."

"Shut the fuck up."

The duo walked out onto the balcony, and a comfortable silence settled in the air. For a while, no one said anything. Then Elsa leaned on her friend's shoulder.

"Do you think I'll be okay?"

"Hm?"

"Be a good queen, I mean." She shrugged, glancing up at him. "It's just that, now I'm a ruler of a kingdom, and it's not going to be easy – "

"You'll do fine, I'm sure of it," Kristoff said fondly to her. "And if you ever feel like it's getting tough, you've got friends to help you out: there's Olaf, and Anna, and _me_ – we're all here to make sure you're feeling good about everything."

_He's so sweet._

Elsa smiled. Thank you," she said. "That's what I wanted to hear – I'm going to make Arendelle the most beautiful kingdom ever."

The harvester smirked. "Well, you already count for a lot of that beautiful, it'll be a piece of cake."

_Oh my god._

Elsa smacked him on the shoulder, but she was blushing. "Do you think the people will like me?"

Kristoff chuckled, and turned to face her. "Elsa, stop worrying! You'll be able to show them just how much you care about this kingdom, and they'll realize that you love Arendelle just as much as them." He put his hands on her shoulders. "They'll fall in love with you! I know I already have, and – "

He stopped short, realizing what he just said. Almost immediately, he turned red. "Uh, well, you know what I mean – "

Elsa smiled. "Yes, I get it." Although deep inside, she did wish it was something more. Especially right now, with all of these things Kristoff was saying…he comforted her, he made her laugh, he was handsome…

"Elsa?"

The queen didn't hear; she instead slowly drifted towards the man, eyes locked directly onto his lips.

Her hands slowly traveled to his shoulders, breathing gone shallow as a small smirk formed on the corner of his mouth.

Elsa, now completely unthinking, closed in on the harvester, eyelids fluttering closed.

_He's so close…he's so – "_

A sharp noise rang out through the air, and a piercing scream ensued immediately after. Elsa broke apart, alarmed by the sudden outbreak of noise. She glanced nervously at Kristoff, who shared the same confused look as her. "What was – "

"Murder!" A shrill, feminine voice cried out. "Someone's been killed!"

**(A/N: Once again, I'm really sorry. I'll be more updated from now on, and I'll do my best to bring my writing up to standards. Thanks for sticking with me, you guys. :D)**


	5. Danger Awakening

**Disclaimer: **You already know.

Chapter 5: Danger Awakening

"Murder!" A shrill, feminine voice called out. "Someone's been killed!"

The queen gasped. _In Arendelle…? What – "_

Kristoff had already burst through the doors, making his way through the attendees of the party. Elsa followed closely behind her friend. "Excuse me, pardon me," she spoke apologetically over the confused air of the guests.

Outside, Anna, Kai, and Gerda were all gathered together. Anna's hand was over her mouth, and Kai was bending down to examine the body.

It was the body of a young man, surely in his early twenties. He was lying on his side, and Elsa could spot a nasty gash with fresh blood still spewing out like a geyser.

Kai grimaced. "It happened roughly thirty seconds ago," he said slowly. Looking around, his eyes widened when he saw Elsa. "Your Majesty!" He came over to her at once, a worried look dancing over his features. "The killer is no doubt nearby – please, be careful!" He glanced at Anna, and pulled the two together behind his protective arm.

Meanwhile, Kristoff further inspected the body. The victim's eyes were still open, gazing unemotionally ahead. The mountain man shuddered and gently closed up the eyelids.

Cautiously, he turned the man to find a sharp arrow piercing his heart.

The guards arrived seconds after, and Kristoff pulled them close. "You may want to take a look," he said in an undertone. "Do a bit of inspecting around the area, too – whoever the assassin was, they used some sort of ranged weapon. Judging by the direction of the arrow tip…"

All the while, Elsa could barely think, let alone breathe.

_ An innocent…_

_ Dead…_

_ Under your rule…_

She gasped suddenly, and an alarmed Anna quickly grabbed her and offered the queen support. "H-hey, hey, Anna, it's alright," she spoke quickly into the older one's ear.

"He's dead…and it's my fault…"

"What? N-no, Elsa, this has nothing to do with you! You couldn't have had stopped this assassination – "

"Could I have not?" Elsa muttered back, self-deprecating. "I'm the ruler of Arendelle now – "

"- and still, the man is dead." She stopped shortly, frowning. "Of course, he didn't deserve to die, but you can't always be blaming yourself, Elsie."

"But – "

"No buts," Anna said firmly, still holding the queen up. "Just trust me for a moment, here."

Elsa wanted to argue, but she knew it was hopeless – Anna's words seemed too persuasive, especially with Elsa's weak-headed state. She only nodded feebly, and a small smile grazed Anna's lips.

More dignitaries arrived on the scene, and some townsfolk were beginning to show as well.

"Kristoff?" Alf asked slowly, approaching the sight. "What's going – oh…_fuck."_

The blonde man gritted his teeth. The thought of a poor man literally shouting "I'm innocent!" lying dead on the cold, stone ground made him sick. At that moment, all he wanted to do was to find the assassinator and bring justice to him. But after a glance at the shaking queen, he pushed off his vengeful thoughts for the time being. Elsa was too important to him, and watching her quiver with fear and anxiety killed him.

Quickly rushing over to Elsa, he closed his hands over hers. "Elsa," he said, tone gentle but firm, "you can't put up with this right now – you need to rest."

Elsa tried to protest. "Kristoff – "

He shook his head. "I am not taking no for an answer." He looked back to Kai and nodded towards Elsa. Kai returned the gesture, understanding the sign.

Kristoff intertwined his fingers with Elsa's, and began his stride to the castle. Elsa was beginning to notice the small audience they had, and she began to worry.

_ What will they think about me – a queen, walking away from a crime scene? _She pulled away quickly, receiving a raised eyebrow from Kristoff. "Please, just…give me a moment." Elsa took a deep breath and turned around.

"Citizens of Arendelle!" Although she was nervous, butterflies lingering in her stomach, she spoke loudly, drawing the attention of anyone. There was a hush amongst the crowd, and she continued slowly. "Tonight has brought us something very…unfortunate." Elsa frowned, stealing a quick glance towards Kristoff. He smiled and nodded her encouragingly, and that was more than enough to boost her spirits. "As your new queen, I assure you that I will do everything in my power to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again."

There was a silence. Elsa bit her lip. _Did I do something wrong?_

Thankfully, she did not. Applause soon found it's way to her ears, and smiles disseminated throughout the townsfolk. They were timid smiles, but they were reassured in Elsa's new ruling. She returned the gesture and gave a quick curtsy before joining Kristoff. Together, the two disappeared behind the castle gates.

The mountain man gave Elsa's hand a tight squeeze. "What did I say, Elsa?" he said, smiling. "That was more than enough to strengthen Arendelle's spirit – they'll look to you, knowing you will do an excellent job." The twinkle in his eyes undeniably proved he was telling the truth, and Elsa wanted to tell him that if it weren't for his supportive smiles or strong words of reassurance, she would be hanging on by a thread. She wanted to tell him that his presence alone could lighten _her_ spirits in the blink of an eye. She wanted to tell him how she felt…

But she just smiled back. "Thank you, Kristoff. It's good to have you by my side." He winked, and the two continued their way down to Elsa's chambers in a comfortable silence. Their hands were still connected, but no one cared at the moment.

Elsa knew that it was going to be a tough, uphill ride from now on. She could barely think about all of her new, queenly duties…spending hours upon hours in her study doing the work that was meant for her did not seem, in the least bit, appealing. But it had to be done.

Stealing another look at her mountain man, she smiled genuinely. _With Kristoff here, I know that this whole thing won't be as bad as I think so. I'll be able to – _

Wait. _'Her _mountain man?'

The queen flushed. _Smooth, Elsa. Smooth. _

**(A/N: I know, I know, my chapters are the shortest chapters you've probably ever seen. I'm going to have to work on that, on top of regaining any actual writing skill I previously had, prior to the two-month break. XD)**


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